House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN, D-Chicago, is once again giving plenty of support to state Rep. SUE SCHERER, D-Decatur.

But most of that aid has been coming her way this primary season as independent expenditures, which have no limits and don’t have to be reported as in-kind contributions by Scherer’s own political committee.

Scherer, a freshman, is being challenged in the March 18 Democratic primary by GINA LATHAN of Springfield.

Committees led by Madigan, including the Democratic Party of Illinois, which he chairs, combined to give Scherer about $400,000 in money and services during the primary and general elections of 2012.

This time around, according to records of the State Board of Elections, in just February and March, the Democratic Majority committee chaired by Madigan provided more than $53,000 to help Scherer. That money includes polling, postage and printing costs.

Within 30 days of an election, any independent expenditure of $1,000 or more has to be reported.

Interestingly, the B-1 forms filed with such expenditures make it clear that they must be done, under “penalty of perjury,” without communication with the candidate or her staff.

Still, Madigan’s committee somehow got several nice, campaign-style pictures of Scherer — with the representative talking to men in hard hats, surrounded by seniors, and smiling with children. I know at least seven such fliers have been sent to district households, letting voters know that Scherer is “fighting to keep dangerous predators away from our children” and is “fighting to protect state funding for vital services.”

Well, I hope so.

The Democratic Majority is listed as the funding source on the fliers.

STEVE BROWN, spokesman for Madigan, said the reason the payments this time around are independent expenditures was a “strategic decision.” He didn’t elaborate on the strategy, saying, “we’re not interested in helping the enemy figure things out.”

As for those pictures of Scherer, Brown said, “We probably just went out and got a camera and took a picture of her, right?”

Under current caps, party committees such as Democratic Majority can make no more than $78,900 in targeted contributions to an Illinois House candidate in a primary. But such reportable donations to Scherer have included only three payments of $1,884 for campaign payroll. And again, there’s no cap on independent expenditures.

Scherer’s own fund had $58,000 in the bank at the end of the year and has since taken in at least $16,000 in large donations.

Lathan raised $11,363 from October through Dec. 31, including more than $6,500 she loaned herself. She ended the year with about $2,900 in the bank, and got a $2,500 donation at the end of February.

The 96th stretches from Decatur to take in part of Springfield. Republicans seeking the nomination are MIKE BELL of Edinburg and LANDON LAUBHAN of Springfield.

Page 2 of 3 - Endorsements, cash

The race for the Republican nomination for Sangamon County sheriff has featured some recent endorsements and an infusion of funds from family and other backers.

Undersheriff JACK CAMPBELL’s campaign on Feb. 18 got a $30,000 loan from MARY MADDOX, the candidate’s mother. That brings the total she has loaned the campaign since last May to $55,000.

Campbell said about 250 people attended a fundraiser he had last week, and the take was “in the five-figures,” or at least $10,000.

“I am appreciative of her support,” Campbell said of his mother, “as well as the hundreds of people that send checks to me, whether it’s $10, $50 or $200.” He also noted that being undersheriff is a full-time job, and “I don’t have time to fundraise full time like my opponent does.”

That opponent would be former Lt. WES BARR, who given his rank had to retire last year in order to run. Former state Sen. LARRY BOMKE, R-Springfield, who is also a former chairman of the Sangamon County Board, endorsed and recorded an ad for Barr.

In the TV spot, which can be seen here, Bomke says Barr is “uniquely qualified” to be sheriff and is a “once in a lifetime” candidate. He said in a news release that Barr is “of the highest integrity.”

“I appreciate his service to the state of Illinois,” Campbell said of Bomke, “but he is not a law enforcement official.” He said endorsements he has from Sheriff NEIL WILLIAMSON and six other sheriffs mean a lot to him “because they understand how to run a sheriff’s office and they appreciate that in me.” He also noted his recent endorsement by the political involvement committee of the Sangamon County Farm Bureau.

The sheriffs on his endorser list are from six of the eight counties that border Sangamon County. They and their counties are JIM VAZZI, Montgomery; BOB FAIR, Cass; CHUCK JONES, Menard; RANDY DUVENBACK, Morgan; STEVE NICHOLS, Logan; and TOM SCHNEIDER, Macon. Schneider and Fair are Democrats; the others are Republicans.

Barr said he’s had “hundreds and hundreds” of people who have donated to his campaign, had more than 400 people at a fundraiser featuring four bands, raised more than $6,000 at an envelope party last week and has more than 2,500 yard signs out.

“Everywhere we go, we get just great responses,” Barr said.

He also thinks Campbell, despite being undersheriff, has fit in plenty of fundraisers himself.

Page 3 of 3 - Barr also was endorsed by state Rep. RICH BRAUER, R-Petersburg, who represents part of Springfield. And Barr said that former Logan County Sheriff BOB PATTERSON, now of Sherman, is on his law enforcement advisory committee.

Barr also said it might have made more sense for nearby sheriffs to endorse after speaking with more than one candidate.

Barr got a $5,000 donation from Bomke on March 3, and also reported $25,000 in recent donations from members of the Vala family. FRANK VALA, who chairs the board overseeing Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and owns the Route 66 Hotel and Conference Center as well as Community Care Systems, donated $5,200 in a joint contribution with his wife, LINDA. Others who donated are his brother BILL and sister-in-law SHARON, nephew JOSEPH and son JOSHUA.

Frank Vala said Barr has a “great reputation,” an understanding of the office and is the “most qualified.”

Cambell had $26,700 in his fund on Dec. 31. Barr had $52,000 at that point, and since then, his large donations have included those from the Vala family and Bomke, and $6,200 in cash in addition to food for a fundraiser and rent for campaign headquarters. Small donations won’t have to be reported until the quarterly report due after the March 18 primary.

Democrat JEFF REGAN is running as a write-in in the primary, hoping to become his party’s nominee on the November ballot.

New name, focus

What was the Republican Fund for Progress and Jobs is now just the Fund for Progress and Jobs. STEVE SHEARER, former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. AARON SCHOCK, R-Peoria, runs that group designed to block BRUCE RAUNER from getting the nomination for governor.

The Illinois Republican Party demanded late last month that the group, which is getting significant funding from unions, quit using the word “Republican” in its name. Schearer didn’t say if that’s the reason the name was changed, but did say more than $700,000 is being spent now on an ad promoting state Sen. KIRK DILLARD of Hinsdale for the GOP nomination for governor.